THE OFFICIAL GUIDE TO THE 2010
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C E N T R A L O R E G O N ’ S P R E M I E R L I T E R A RY E V E N T FICTION
Kent Haruf
Hillary Jordan
POETRY
Michael Dickman
Paulann Petersen
Starview Foundation in support of
NON-FICTION
Brian Turner
David Whyte
Jimmy Santiago Baca
Penny & Phil Knight
Anne Lamott
Barry Lopez
Julia Kennedy Cochran
EDITOR
KEYNOTE
Gary Fisketjon
Sam Waterston
Anonymous Donor
Terri Cumbie/Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe
Margaret Heater
Dan Wieden
Karen Poulsen
Associated Students of COCC, Brooks Resources, Central Oregon Radiology, COCC’s Multicultural Activities, Native American Program and Latino Student Program, Curry Stone Foundation, Devore’s Good Food Store, Mike & Sue Hollern, John Martin Landscapes, MC Smith Signs, Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program, Old Mill District, The Oxford Hotel, Phoenix Inn Suites, Jeff & Margie Robberson, Margaret & Dave Rose, Roll35, Sally Russell, Samuel S. Johnson Foundation, Visit Bend. Bank of the Cascades, Dr. John Berreen,Bonavia Family Charitable Trust, John & Joan Casey, Deschutes County Commissioners, Deschutes Brewery, Foerster Living Trust, Ingrid Lustig, Linda & Craig Moore, John Mounts, Gavin & Mary Heather Noble, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Bend, Pauline Shelk, The Trust for Public Land-Miller’s Landing Project, Nancy Tyler, William Smith Properties.
(theNatureofWords) SAVE THE DATES! (See complete schedule on Page 8) Rising Star Awards ...............................................................................................Wednesday, Nov. 3 Guest Author Readings/Book Signings ...................................................... Thursday-Friday, Nov. 4-5 VIP Reception ...............................................................................................................Friday, Nov. 5 Author-led Workshops & Lectures ........................................... Thursday-Friday-Saturday, Nov. 4-5-6 Dinner & Keynote Speaker....................................................................................... Saturday, Nov. 6 Open Mic ...................................................................................................................Sunday, Nov. 7 BUY TICKETS: www.thenatureofwords.org Tickets to the Author Readings are also available at the Tower Theatre Box Office, 541.317.0700 or www.towertheatre.org. Free reading tickets for students with valid ID. Visit the Tower Theatre box office in advance at 835 NW Wall St., Bend.
OUR CO-SPONSORS Greetings from Dr. Becky Johnson
VICE-PRESIDENT, OSU-CASCADES
As long as humans have used language, storytellers have been there to capture our life experience. Stories have the power to teach and to change us. Stories alter our perceptions, introduce us to people we never would meet otherwise, and enrich us emotionally. Stories are simply how we learn. At OSU-Cascades, we treasure the stories and storytellers that come from all fields, from literature to engineering. The Nature of Words is our opportunity to acknowledge those whose observations and mastery of language continue to teach us new lessons and show us new worlds. OSU-Cascades is proud to have been a Laureate sponsor of The Nature of Words since it was founded in 2005.
Greeting from Dr. James Middleton
PRESIDENT, CENTRAL OREGON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
COCC is pleased to partner with The Nature of Words in, once again, hosting a diverse and exciting roster of authors at the annual literary festival. The Nature of Words helps bring great writing, as well as writing opportunities, to students and the community. The Nature of Words encourages reflection, discussion and introspection – elements that are key to lifelong learning. COCC looks forward to the 2010 festival and continuing our shared commitment to the literary arts in Central Oregon.
THE MISSION OF THE NATURE OF WORDS is to foster an appreciation of the literary arts and humanities in the High Desert region of the Northwest through community interaction with acclaimed authors, and through creative writing programs for students and adults. 2 | The Nature of Words 2010 • Official Guide
Let the Readings Begin!
A Message from Ellen Waterston, FOUNDER & DIRECTOR, THE NATURE OF WORDS A warm welcome to all attending the sixth annual The Nature of Words literary festival! I urge you to take in all you can of the readings, author-led workshops, lectures, the Author Dinner on Saturday and the concluding Sunday reading by Oregon’s Poet Laureate Paulann Peterson. The talented and dynamic roster of guest authors, poets and keynoter who grace this weekend’s events are a guarantee of a change of perspective, a new lease, an expanded heart. As 2010 comes to a close, there is much for The Nature of Words to celebrate: our new literary arts center downtown housing The Storefront Project that offers creative writing workshops to adults and youth, story and book-making field trips for K-12, and free drop-in creative writing classes to middle- and high-schoolers twice a week. Our in-school creative writing residency program is headed into its third year in three counties. And the 2010 anthology of student writing, a 200 page collection, is a handsome and fitting tribute to the talent of all NOW’s young writers, be they Rising Star Creative Writing Competition winners, The Storefront writers, or in-school participants. As The Nature of Words crosses the 2010 finish line, I want to sincerely thank The Nature of Words’ dedicated Board of Directors and staff, as well as each and every one of you, who have helped make The Nature of Words a vital literary organization in Central Oregon. In 2011, The Nature of Words looks forward to strengthening relationships with its key Central Oregon partners through creative collaborations, and to continuing to offer events and programming that increase awareness and appreciation of the literary arts in Central Oregon.
Why I support (theNatureofWords) DAVID BILYEU, PRESIDENT I need to be refreshed with words, writing and ideas. Attending The Nature of Words events and workshops is like a little slice of the learning that was fun in college and grad school without the pressure. The festival is wonderful - where else do we have so many opportunities to hear and interact with great writers about their work? Last Book Read: “The Wilding” by Benjamin Percy
MARGARET HEATER, VICE-PRESIDENT The Nature of Words opens the door for so many Central Oregon young adults and provides a way for them to explore a necessary life skill – expression of self through creative writing – in hopes that they will never be at a loss for words. Last Book Read: “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barbery
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Dabble or Dive?
HOT OFF THE PRESS!
David Bilyeu
PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, THE NATURE OF WORDS I began volunteering for the Nature of Words in 2005. One of my first jobs was to move books on a hand truck between the Tower Theatre and the local bookstore in a driving cold rain. But by the time I had listened to and learned from Annie Proulx, Kim Barnes, Clemens Starck and the other great writers at the Tower on that cold November evening, and then attended a workshop or two the next day, I was hooked. No, I wouldn’t just stick my toe into the pool supporting The Nature of Words—I was ready to leap off the high dive. As I read through a list of the authors who have been a part of The Nature of Words over the years, a great sense of joy arises as I recall time spent reading their books, listening to them at the Tower, attending workshops, and celebrating with them at the final evening’s dinner. But I get an even greater sense of joy in helping to share this year’s authors with you—the guests, participants and supporters of The Nature of Words. Welcome! Please dive into The Nature of Words 2010 events, and enjoy one of the best literary festivals anywhere in the Northwest.
The Board of Directors
is Pleased to Bring (theNatureofWords) Literary Festival. A sincere thank you to the Board for their hard work, vision and support. Front row: Sandra Miller; Julia Kennedy Cochran; Margaret Heater, Vice-President; Karen Poulsen, Secretary; Back row: John Martin; John Kvapil; Kyle Wuepper; Peter Lovering, Past President; David Bilyeu, President; Inset (clockwise from top-left): Christine Coffin; Susan Humphrey, Treasurer; Neil Browne; Margie Robberson.
The 2010 “Words Without Walls” Student Anthology If you want a taste of the excellent writing produced by students in The Nature of Words’ (NOW) creative writing programs, look no further than the 2010 “Words Without Walls” student anthology. This 200-page book, with cover art by Sisters artist John Simpkins, contains the 2010 Rising Star Creative Writing Competition winners, as well as prose and poetry from a cross-section of NOW’s in-school and Storefront Project students. NOW is grateful to Oregon’s own Kim Stafford for his inspiring Foreword. In his comments, Stafford says, “When a young person decides not to speak what’s in the mind, not to try to put words to trouble, confusion, anger, love that roils deep in the soul—we will be poorer. We will be less able to sustain our treasure in the young.” Stop by the Camalli Book Company table at any festival event for your copy of “Words Without Walls” for a suggested donation of $15. You can also contact The Nature of Words or drop by NOW’s literary arts center at 224 NW Oregon Avenue in Bend to pick up a copy. All proceeds from sales of “Words Without Walls” help to support NOW’s creative writing programs.
With Sincere Thanks and Gratitude to
Our Sponsors
LAUREATE: OSU-Cascades, Central Oregon Community College, Penny & Phil Knight, Oregon Community Foundation, Starview Foundation in support of Deschutes Land Trust, Julia Kennedy Cochran, Writing Ranch, Anonymous Donor. EX LIBRIS: Bryant Lovlien & Jarvis PC, The Bulletin, Caldera, Cascade
Donate to (theNatureofWords)
To support any or all of The Nature of Words’ events or creative writing programs, you can donate via the PayPal® link at www.thenatureofwords.org or mail a check to: The Nature of Words, P.O. Box 56, Bend, OR 97709. Have questions or want more information? Call 541.647.2233 or email info@thenatureofwords.org. Thank you!
Why I support (theNatureofWords) SUSAN HUMPHREY, TREASURER
KAREN POULSEN, SECRETARY
I know that The Nature of Words is ‘making a difference’ when listening to readings by our local student authors. It is a rewarding experience working with all those involved with The Nature of Words.
Being a part of The Nature of Words gives me the opportunity to make a positive impact in our community. I believe it is so very important to be able to express one’s impressions and emotions through the written word! Being a part of bringing writing workshops and opportunities to the youth of Central Oregon is extremely rewarding.
Last Book Read: “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein
Last Book Read: “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows
Publications, Clear 101.7FM, Dudley’s Bookshop Cafe, Greer Mahr & Associates LLP, Margaret Heater, The Kinsman Foundation, Les Schwab Tires, Oregon Arts Commission, Karen Poulsen, Roundhouse Foundation, The Source Weekly, Umpqua Bank, University of Oregon, Dan Wieden.
BEST SELLER: Associated Students of COCC, Brooks Resources,COCC’s Multicultural Activities, Native American Program and Latino Student Program, Central Oregon Radiology, Curry Stone Foundation, Devore’s Good Food Store, Mike & Sue Hollern, John Martin Landscapes, MC Smith Signs, Nancy R. Chandler Visiting Scholar Program, Old Mill District, The Oxford Hotel, Phoenix Inn Suites, Jeff & Margie Robberson, Margaret & Dave Rose, Roll35, Sally Russell, Samuel S. Johnson Foundation, Visit Bend. PAGE TURNER: Bank of the Cascades, Dr. John Berreen, Bonavia Family Charitable Trust, John & Joan Casey, Deschutes County Commissioners, Deschutes Brewery, Foerster Living Trust, Ingrid Lustig, Linda & Craig Moore, John Mounts, Gavin & Mary Heather Noble, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. of Bend, The Trust for Public Land-Miller’s Landing Project, Nancy Tyler, William Smith Properties. And Heartfelt Thanks to Our Many Bookmark Donors and Volunteers! This project is supported in part by a grant from the Oregon Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Bulletin • The Nature of Words 2010 | 3
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2010 Guest Authors Jimmy Santiago Baca (Non-fiction)
Anne Lamott (Non-fiction)
Born in New Mexico of Chicano and Apache descent, Jimmy Santiago Baca was raised first by his grandmother and was later sent to an orphanage. A runaway at age 13, it was after Baca was sentenced to five years in a maximum security prison at the age of 21 that he began to turn his life around: there he learned to read and write. Like many Southwestern writers, Baca identifies with the land around him and the myths that are part of his culture. He is the winner of the Pushcart Prize, the American Book Award, the National Poetry Award, the International Hispanic Heritage Award, and, for his memoir “A Place To Stand,” the prestigious International Award.
Barry Lopez (Non-fiction)
Michael Dickman (Poetry) Michael Dickman began writing poems “after accidentally reading a Neruda ode.” His second collection, “Flies,” won the 2010 James Laughlin Award for the most outstanding second book by an American poet. “Flies” will be released in May 2011. His first collection was “The End of the West.” Dickman has received several fellowships, including a Hodder Fellowship from Princeton for 2009-2010, in addition to winning the 2008 Narrative Prize. His poems have appeared in The New Yorker, The American Poetry Review, Tin House, Narrative magazine and others. He has been profiled in The New Yorker and Poets & Writers with his twin brother, poet Matthew Dickman, who was a guest author at The Nature of Words’ 2009 literary festival.
Gary Fisketjon (Editor) Gary Fisketjon is a highly-respected Editor-at-Large and Vice President of Alfred A. Knopf Inc., Publisher. Among the many writers he has edited are 2010 Guest Author Kent Haruf, Raymond Carver, Bret Easton Ellis, Patricia Highsmith, Cormac McCarthy, Jay McInerney, and Tobias Wolff. As an editor at Random House and Vintage Books from 1980 to 1986, he created the Vintage Contemporaries Series and built his reputation publishing literary fiction as paperback originals—then, and still, considPhoto by Jayne Wexler ered radical. In 2006, Fisketjon received the Maxwell E. Perkins Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Fiction.
Kent Haruf (Fiction)
Photo by Kathy Haruf
Anne Lamott writes and speaks about subjects that begin with capital letters: Alcoholism, Motherhood, Jesus. But armed with self-effacing humor and ruthless honesty, Lamott converts her subjects into enchantment. Lamott is the author of six novels as well as four bestselling books of non-fiction including “Operating Instructions,” an account of life as a single mother during her son’s first year, and “Traveling Mercies,” a collection of autobiographical essays on faith. Her newest novel, “Imperfect Photo by Mark Richards Birds,” is winning praise for its unflinching portrait of parents struggling to save a teenage daughter from the abyss.
Fiction writer Kent Haruf grew up in eastern Colorado, the setting for his novels. For two years he taught English in Turkey as a member of the Peace Corps. Haruf was 41 before his first piece of fiction was published. His novel, “Plainsong,” won the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and The New Yorker Book Award. Haruf’s descriptions of rural existence are a richly nuanced mixture of stark details and poetic evocations of the natural world.
Barry Lopez is an essayist, author and short-story writer and has traveled extensively in remote and populated parts of the world. He is the author of “Arctic Dreams,” for which he received the National Book Award, and eight works of fiction, including “Resistance.” His most recent book is “Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape,” a reader’s dictionary of regional landscape terms, which he edited with Debra Gwartney. Barry Lopez’s writings have frequently been compared Photo by David Liittschwager to those of Henry David Thoreau. Lopez is the winner of The Nature of Words’ 2010 Caldera Special Recognition Award.
Paulann Petersen (Poetry) Paulann Petersen is Oregon’s newly appointed Poet Laureate. The author of four chapbooks and four full-length collections, she is a former Stegner fellow at Stanford University. A fifth collection, “The Voluptuary,” will be released in November by Lost Horse Press. Petersen was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for “A Bride of Narrow Escape.” She is the force behind the annual series of William Stafford Birthday Readings held in January throughout Oregon. Petersen has taught poetry workshops for colleges, libraries and writers’ conferences, including Fishtrap, Oregon Writers’ Workshop, Oregon State Poetry Association, and The Northwest Writing Institute at Lewis & Clark College.
Brian Turner (Poetry) Brian Turner is a soldier-poet whose much-praised second collection, “Phantom Noise,” is a window into dealing with the traumatic after-effects of war. Turner’s prize-winning debut book of poems, “Here, Bullet,” is a harrowing, beautiful first-person account of the Iraq war which won the 2005 Beatrice Hawley Award, the New York Times “Editor’s Choice” selection, the 2006 Pen Center USA “Best in the West” award, and the 2007 Poets Prize, among others. Turner served seven years in the U.S. Army, including one year as an infantry team leader in Iraq, as well as one year in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1999-2000.
David Whyte (Poetry)
Hillary Jordan (Fiction) Hillary Jordan is a novelist whose authentic and earthy prose is expected to echo for years to come. Of her debut novel, “Mudbound,” Barbara Kingsolver said, “Hillary Jordan writes with the force of a Delta storm.” “Mudbound” received the 2006 Bellwether Prize for Fiction, a prize founded by Barbara Kingsolver to reward books of conscience, social responsibility, and literary merit. Publishers Weekly hailed “Mudbound” as “a superbly rendered depiction of the fury and terror wrought by racism.”
A native of Yorkshire, England, David Whyte is a poet, author and naturalist whose poetry reflects a living, spiritual connection to the natural world. The author of six books, including “River Flow: New & Selected Poems 19842007,” and three books of prose, David Whyte holds a degree in Marine Zoology and has traveled extensively, including working as a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands and leading anthropological and natural history expeditions in the Andes, the Amazon and the Himalayas. His life as a poet has created a readership and listenership in the literate world of readings, the psychological and theological worlds of philosophical enquiry, and the world of vocation.
Why I support (theNatureofWords) BOARD MEMBER NEIL BROWNE
BOARD MEMBER CHRISTINE COFFIN
BOARD MEMBER JULIA KENNEDY COCHRAN
I support the Nature of Words for many reasons. But what it does best is bring the beauty, power, and thoughtfulness of literature before the community as a whole - young, old, rich, poor, student, professor — all of us. I like that.
The Nature of Words challenges us to expand our minds by reading, at a time when most other media provide only mindless sound bites.
Last Book Read: “The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century” by Alex Ross
Last Book Read: “Stories from the Edge” by Jimmy Santiago Baca
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What makes a hometown? The beauty of the sky and the land here, and the charm of the small towns alone are reason enough to move to Bend. But, for me, what tipped the scale in favor of a move to Central Oregon was The Nature of Words. To arrive in a place where the community embraced the natural environment and the creative arts, the literary arts — felt like coming home. The Nature of Words makes our hometown very special. I hope you’ll help me support it. Last Book Read: “Olive Kitteridge” by Elizabeth Strout
A Celebration of Young Writers WINNERS OF THE 2010 RISING STAR CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION
FICTION
Kelsey May
Erienne McCray
The Rising Star CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION is a springboard for emerging writers from throughout the Northwest. In 2010, prizes were awarded in fiction, literary nonfiction, poetry and the nature essay in two categories: ages 15-18 and 19-25. First place winners receive a cash prize, a trophy donated by local metal artist Ben Schade (www. schadesteel.com), a scholarship to a guest author-led workshop in their winning genre, a certificate and recognition in a special awards ceremony and reception on November 3. Winning and honorable mention submissions were published in “Words Without Walls,” an anthology of work produced by students in The Nature of Words’ creative writing programs, available for purchase at all festival venues. Cover art for “Words Without Walls” was created by John Simpkins. The Rising Star Competition is a natural extension of The Nature of Words, encouraging young writers by providing a forum for their work and giving them an opportunity to compete with their peers. Now in its fifth year, the competition’s judges were pleased to choose the winners profiled to the right.
LITERARY NON-FICTION
Sam Nesbitt
Ashley Sellers
Marti Fraley
NATURE ESSAY
Trevor Dodge
POETRY
Megan Risley
Austin Skelton
Fiction
and full-length plays such as “Writer’s Island” and “A Song for Lilia.”
AGE 15-18 CATEGORY
Literary Non-Fiction
WINNER: Kelsey May, Sisters, OR WINNING ENTRY: “Drowning”
HONORABLE MENTION:
Erienne McCray, Bend, OR ENTRY: “Cat Boy”
Erienne is a junior at Bend High who enjoys drama, art, reading, and writing. In her future she plans on becoming either a professional author or artist, or both, if possible.
Sam Nesbitt, Bend, OR ENTRY: “City of Angels, City of Devils”
Anna McCallon
WINNER: None
Trevor Dodge has completed 8th grade at REALMS, an outward bound middle school that focuses on fieldwork and stewardship and that inspired his interest in writing. He has written reflections of his experiences in nature and is currently writing a fictional book that he hopes to complete in the next two years.
HONORABLE MENTION
AGE 19-25 CATEGORY:
Ashley Sellers, Bend, OR ENTRY: “Letter to My Child”
WINNER: None
AGE 15-18 CATEGORY
Kelsey began writing after reading “The Lord of the Rings” when she was 9. Now a senior at Sisters High School, Kelsey has taken a number of creative writing classes and has written several short stories and poems. She most enjoys writing longer, novel-length stories and finds writing “a safe haven and a joy for me.”
Naomi Wright
A 2010 graduate of Mt. View High School and the mother of a beautiful 14-month-old daugther, Brooklyn, Ashley would like to pursue a career in criminal justice.
HONORABLE MENTION Megan Risley, Seattle, WA ENTRY: “Noisy Roots”
Poetry
Weldin Yanes, Redmond, OR ENTRY: “Greatest Challenge”
AGE 15-18 CATEGORY
AGE 19-25 CATEGORY WINNER: Hannah Flaherty, Bend, OR WINNING ENTRY: “The Worm Theory”
WINNER: Austin Skelton, Bend, OR WINNING ENTRY: “Words”
A 16-year-old who attends Summit High School, Austin is heavily involved in theater, choir and dance. She is considering a career in literature, preferably screenwriting. “My previous writing experience is minimal, save for school assignments and a few poems written for pleasure.”
A senior at Summit High, Sam has lived in Bend for just six months. She is an amateur novelist, a habitual poet and likes to draw. Sam likes cats and comic books,and she enjoys writing odd poetry or stories about other people.
Hannah dedicates her winning piece to anyone who has suffered from chronic illness. “Writing has been one of the few consistent things in my life and I hope to one day be able to call myself a published author.” (And thanks to The Nature of Words, now she can!)
AGE 19-25 CATEGORY
HONORABLE MENTION:
WINNER: Desiree Perry, Salem, OR WINNING ENTRY: “Transparent”
Marti Fraley, Bend, OR ENTRY: “Jungle Woman”
A 19-year-old Bend native pursuing a career in art therapy at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, Marti’s interest in writing grew following a student internship with The Nature of Words in 2008. She writes poetry and nonfiction prose.
An 18-year old senior at Summit High School, Naomi’s passion lies with performance-based poetry “and its ability to bring a message of social change to youth.” She participates in poetry slams and, after graduation, will travel to Senegal with an international leadership training program called Global Citizen Year.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Nature Essay
AGE 19-25
Desiree is a junior at Corban College, majoring in creating writing with aspirations of earning a masters degree in library and information science. She would like to become a librarian who writes stories in her spare time. Desiree was born in Tennessee but grew up primarily in the Northwest.
Mig Windows, Ashland, OR ENTRY: “Weird Night Stand”
Naomi Wright, Bend, OR ENTRY: “Convex Issues Concaving In”
AGE 15-18 CATEGORY
Emily “Mig” Windows is an accomplished playwright who, since high school in Ashland, has earned a number of honors and awards for one-act
HONORABLE MENTION:
WINNER: Trevor Dodge, Bend, OR WINNING ENTRY: “Seeing Through the Blindfold”
WINNER: Anna McCallon, Seattle, WA WINNING ENTRY: “If the Whole World Could be an Island in the Sun”
Why I support (theNatureofWords) BOARD MEMBER JOHN KVAPIL During a recent poetry reading by inmates at the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution, one of the inmates said that being a part of the NOW creative writing workshops was “the most humanizing experience” of his life. For me, this was and is the essence of The Nature of Words. Last Book Read: “A Week in December” by Sebastian Faulks
BOARD MEMBER PETER LOVERING, PAST PRESIDENT I support The Nature of Words to emphasize the importance of the written word as a personal way to continue to communicate in a world of impersonal machine- oriented words, and as a way for young people of all ages to express themselves to this world. Last Book Read: “Where the Crooked River Rises: A High Desert Home” by Ellen Waterston
BOARD MEMBER JOHN MARTIN Saws and hammers are for making houses; knives and bowls are for making food; words are for making meaning. I find that I need meaning as much as food and shelter, and The Nature of Words serves thoughtful, well-prepared meaning at a very reasonable price. Last Book Read: “The Risk Pool” by Richard Russo The Bulletin • The Nature of Words 2010 | 5
The
Rising Star
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New for 2010
Judges The Storefront Project Carol Barrett’s passion for creative writing began after an early career in clinical psychology. She has earned Ph.D.’s in both fields, as well as a master’s degree in physical education, majoring in dance. Besides psychology, literature and writing, she has taught and published articles in gerontology and women’s studies. Her two books of poetry are “Calling in the Bones” (Ashland Poetry Press, 2005) and “Drawing Lessons” (Finishing Line Press, 2002). Her poetry has appeared in numerous anthologies and earned her an NEA fellowship.
For young writers who lack access to in-school creative writing instruction, or those who crave more than the school day can offer, there’s The Storefront Project. In June 2010, The Storefront Project graduated to its own space in NOW’s literary arts center in downtown Bend from Dudley’s Bookshop Café. On Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., you will find middle- and high-schoolers hard at work on poems, fiction or even dialogue for theater – all guided by NOW’s experienced instructor-writers. The Storefront Project provides creative writing instruction, at no charge, on a
Marion Davidson’s poems have been published in several journals and publications including the Sunday edition of The Oregonian, ”Number One”, “RATTLE”, “Hubbub” and “Ellipsis.” A chapbook of her poems, “The Closeness of Ice,” was published by Finishing Line Press in 2004. She is currently circulating a full length manuscript of her poems entitled “A Lizard Goes to L.A.” A retired attorney, she lives in Bend, Oregon. Sue Fountain was a high school English teacher for 15 years, and taught the writing of short stories, ballads, pantoums, pattern poetry and journey poems. She has a Masters Degree in Education from Western Washington University. She is currently writing a personal memoir of Bend from 1940 to 1963. A native Oregonian, Helen Vandervort earned a master’s degree in Communications and Business from the University of Portland and a bachelor’s degree in General Studies from Portland State University. Before retiring in 1991, she was Director of Public Information at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) and Executive Director of the COCC Foundation. She has two novels to her credit: “A Vintage Year” and “The Scheherazades,” as well as numerous essays and articles in a variety of newspaper and magazines.
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Photo by Kristin Wills, True North Parenting
drop-in basis for budding literati to learn, share and enhance their skills. Here’s the upcoming Storefront schedule:
NOVEMBER, 2010: Dialogue and story for theater with John Mounts DECEMBER, 2010: Year-end break JANUARY, 2011: Haiku with Jeb Barton FEBRUARY, 2011: Songwriting with Mick Green FIELD TRIPS, MAKE-A-BOOK PARTIES AND MORE A classroom field trip to The Storefront Project is a wonderful way to help students experience the world of creative writing. The trip, including a workshop, can be customized to the class and teacher priorities. BOOKMAKING TOO! The Nature of Words offers personalized bookmaking of the literary kind. With NOW’s bookbinding system, writers of any age can collaborate on a story or write their own, and leave with a personalized, bound copy, including their own photo. Birthdays, graduations, retirement, bridal showers, or just
Photo by Kristin Wills, True North Parenting
for fun—anything that’s a celebration deserves a book! WEEKEND OF WORDS (WOW) And WOW is what young writers say about NOW’s Weekend of Words’ workshops. Held on two consecutive days, these workshops are a fun introduction to creative writing. Guided by NOW’s experienced instructors, the WOW group determines the title of its book and then everyone gets to work interactively. Special visits from The Story Robot or other characters add inspiration. Every WOW writer takes home a bound copy of the group’s story to share with friends and family. For more information about any of The Storefront Project programs, call 541.647.2233 or email programs@ thenatureofwords.org.
Words Without Walls:
Bringing Creative Writing to Area Classrooms While we enjoy the accomplished authors and poets showcased in The Nature of Words’ festival, it’s also important to support the next generation of writers. But with school budgets tightening, creative writing is one area that is frequently under-funded or eliminated. This type of education helps to develop cognitive skills, and the ability to convey ideas with depth and clarity. Words Without Walls is helping to fill that gap. This creative writing program, now in its second year, conducts residencies in fiction, nonfiction or poetry. All classes are taught by instructors who are experienced writers, as well as skilled teachers. Each workshop series culminates in a public presentation, giving students recognition and the opportunity to finetune public speaking skills.
In 2010, Words Without Walls was delivered in traditional classrooms and alternative programs throughout Central Oregon, including Crook County High School, Paulina Elementary School, Sisters Middle and High Schools, the Bend-La Pine Teen Parent Program, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council’s (COIC) GED program, and the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution, in conjunction with Central Oregon Community College’s GED program. The Nature of Words is grateful to the statewide and regional sponsors who have helped to fund Words Without Walls, including OSU-Cascades, Central Oregon Community College, the Oregon Community Foundation, the Oregon Arts Commission, Les Schwab Tires and the Roundhouse Foundation.
Guest Author Workshops and Lectures THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4 4:00-5:30 p.m. BREAKING BREAD WITH THE DARKNESS - Jimmy Santiago Baca • Pinckney Center, Pence Hall, COCC (Lecture) Jimmy Santiago Baca taught himself to read and write in prison, where he discovered poetry to be both a savior and a lifeline. He has devoted his post-prison life to writing and teaching others who are overcoming hardship the profound value of literature. Baca will reference these experiences, as well as his newest work, “Breaking Bread With the Darkness,” which speaks of the truest act of writing by settling in at the writing desk to converse and think and feel those issues we have tried so hard to avoid, due to fear, and how by, in turn, facing our fears, we can turn them into a powersource for our writing.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5 9:00-11:00 a.m. HOW EDITORS AND WRITERS WORK TOGETHER – Kent Haruf & Gary Fisketjon (Rm. 118) Based on their long-standing professional relationship, Haruf and Fisketjon will discuss the ways an editor and writer work together to publish a book, including the stages of book publishing - from purchase to publication to marketing and promotion. Time will be reserved for Q&A. Haruf and Fisketjon have collaborated on two novels: “Plainsong” and “Eventide.” YOU HAD ME AT “’HELLO’” – Hillary Jordan (Rm. 117) The best stories grab hold of the reader from the first sentence or paragraph. We’ll study some great fiction and memoir openings from a craft perspective, with a view towards sharpening the barbs on your own hooks. Bring a beginning you’ve struggled with or feel is lacking oomph to class, and we’ll look at ways to make it more compelling. EXPLORING THE UNSAID – Brian Turner (Rm. 112) In this workshop we will study the ways in which contemporary poets embrace the unsaid, creating meaning through the use of silence within poetry. Please bring pen and paper as we will explore some of the techniques discussed to generate our own work.
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CREATION STATION – Anne Lamott • Hitchcock Auditorium, Pioneer Hall, COCC (Lecture) In this presentation, Anne Lamott will talk about the whys and wherefores of creative expression, and why it may indeed be a matter of life and death. She will explore commitment as a debt of honor, hours of operation, one’s desk, one’s
chair, and how to keep one’s butt in it. She will discuss getting started, finding your voice, co-creation, loneliness and community. She will cover failures, messes and false starts as teachers and tools, despair, hysteria, second winds, and anything else that will help people get their work done on a daily basis
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. LESSONS FROM 40 YEARS OF FICTION WRITING – Kent Haruf (Rm. 117) Kent Haruf, an award-winning novelist, says he has been “trying to write fiction for 40 years” and his bias is realistic fiction. He will discuss several ideas, but primarily wants to focus on answering student questions to direct the discussion. UNCERTAIN OUTCOMES – Paulann Petersen (Rm. 114) The art critic Peter Schjeldahl says that “uncertain ends, confident means” presents “as good a general definition of creativity as I know.” A willingness to embark on a journey without knowing its destination is, indeed, the hallmark of creativity. In this session, emphasizing the generation of new work, you’ll explore writing strategies that encourage and reward an embrace of uncertainty in first drafts. You’ll experiment with ways to make your poems more hospitable, more susceptible to surprise and risk. The goal is to have you leave the workshop with as much new writing as possible, writing that may surprise even you, its creator. EXPLORING THE UNSAID – Brian Turner (Rm. 112) In this workshop we will study the ways in which contemporary poets embrace the unsaid, creating meaning through the use of silence within poetry. Please bring pen and paper as we will explore some of the techniques discussed to generate our own work.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. INNER WORKINGS – Barry Lopez (Small group discussion) (Rm. 118) Making Small Effective Changes in Your Prose: When the structure of an essay seems solid enough, when ideas, images and scenes are building well toward a conclusion, the piece can be made more vivid and memorable by employing some of the techniques poets rely on.
9:00 – 11:00 a.m. EMERGENCY SURGERY – Michael Dickman (Rm. 115) In this workshop we will generate a new poem and then move with great energy and sharp knives through a series of major revisions. Less self is the name of the surgeon. Bring
a pen, some paper, a sense of abandon and, perhaps, some Kleenex. SHOW ME – Hillary Jordan (Rm. 117) As readers, most of us would rather figure things out on our own than be told what to think, no? And yet as writers, it’s all too tempting to say, “Harry Schmedlap was a spiteful, humorless prig with an exaggerated sense of his own selfimportance.” In this workshop, we’ll explore ways to reveal character as opposed to bonking the reader over the head with it.
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. POETRY AS ROBUST VULNERABILITY: LANGUAGE AGAINST WHICH WE HAVE NO DEFENSES – David Whyte • Pinckney Center, Pence Hall, COCC (Lecture) Poetry is a break for freedom. The discipline of poetry is in overhearing yourself say difficult truths from which it is impossible to retreat. In a sense, all poems are good; all poems are an emblem of courage and the attempt to say the unsayable. Yet only a few are able to speak to something universal yet personal and distinct at the same time; to create a door through which others can walk, into territory that previously seemed unobtainable, in the passage of a few short lines.
2:00 – 4:00 p.m. HARNESSING ALL THE SLED DOGS – Michael Dickman (Rm. 118) In this workshop we will be dismantling a “stuck” poem and then using surprising methods/additions to rebuild it into something vibrant and alive. Bring a poem that you feel is close to finished and an open mind. I will bring the scissors. WHAT DOES AN EDITOR DO? – Gary Fisketjon (Rm. 117) Fisketjon will explain his role as an editor, from acquisition through the entire process. This session will include ample time for Q&A. TRANSFORMATION’S CHILD – Paulann Petersen (Rm. 115) Metaphor is a creature of transformation. It’s one of poetry’s most potent tropes. Of all the types of figurative language, metaphor reaches the farthest and resonates the deepest. As part of this workshop dedicated to generating new work, you’ll consider the nature of metaphor and the role it plays in your poetry. You’ll be encouraged to let metaphor add its richness of surprise and resonance to what you create during this session. The goal is to have you leave the workshop with both as much new writing as possible and a renewed sense of metaphor’s power.
Why I support (theNatureofWords) BOARD MEMBER SANDRA MILLER
BOARD MEMBER MARGIE ROBBERSON
Reading is one of my passions and Bend is a community I love. What better way to combine the two than by being a board member of The Nature of Words?
The Nature of Words provides the Central Oregon community with an opportunity for literary conversation, and the youth of our community a voice in that conversation. What an opportunity!
Last Books Read: “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel and “Mudbound” by Hillary Jordan
Last Book Read: “Finding Beauty in a Broken World” by Terry Tempest Williams
BOARD MEMBER KYLE WUEPPER It is an honor to be associated with The Nature of Words— working to bring the literary arts to Central Oregon and to foster creative writing for future authors. Last Book Read: “Where Men Win Glory” by Jon Krakauer
Christmas Concert December 19, 2010. Great Hall, Sunriver Tickets and information: www.sunrivermusic.org Phone: 541-593-9310 The Bulletin • The Nature of Words 2010 | 7
(theNatureofWords) Events Schedule WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2010 7:30 p.m. RISING STAR CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION AWARDS & RECEPTION Sponsored by University of Oregon Book Launch for “Words Without Walls, 2010 Student Anthology” EMCEE: Neil Browne, Professor-OSU-Cascades & Board Member, The Nature of Words Trophies donated by Ben Schade, www.schadesteel.com Central Oregon Community College Library, Second Floor 2600 NW College Way, Bend, OR. Free to the public.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2010 4:00 – 5:30 P.M. SPECIAL LECTURE: JIMMY SANTIAGO BACA Topic: “Breaking Bread With the Darkness” Sponsored by Associated Students of COCC; Multicultural Activities of COCC, Native American Program and Latino Student Program; Nancy Chandler Visiting Scholar Program EMCEE: Karen Roth, Director of Multicultural Activities, Central Oregon Community College Pinckney Center for the Arts, Pence Hall Central Oregon Community College Campus General admission $35
7:00 P.M. GUEST AUTHOR READINGS AND BOOK SIGNINGS Jimmy Santiago Baca, Kent Haruf, Brian Turner, Anne Lamott EMCEE: Karen Hilgersom, Vice-President Instruction, Central Oregon Community College Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend General admission: $22 Free admission to students – must present a valid student ID at the Tower Theatre box office in advance. First come, first served basis.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2010 9:00 – 11:00 A.M. MORNING GUEST AUTHOR WORKSHOPS Kent Haruf/Gary Fisketjon – “How Writers & Editors Work Together” Hillary Jordan – “You Had Me at ‘Hello’” Brian Turner – “Exploring the Unsaid” OSU-Cascades Campus, 2600 NW College Way Workshop fee: $45 per workshop Workshop descriptions: www.thenatureofwords. org/Events/Workshop Schedule
8 | The Nature of Words 2010 • Official Guide
11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M.
SPECIAL LECTURE: ANNE LAMOTT (SOLD OUT) TOPIC: “Creation Station” EMCEE: Pamela Hulse Andrews, CEO, Cascade Publications Hitchcock Auditorium, Pioneer Hall Central Oregon Community College Campus
SPECIAL LECTURE: DAVID WHYTE Sponsored by Umpqua Bank TOPIC: “Poetry as Robust Vulnerability: Language Against Which We Have No Defenses” EMCEE: Arden Dettwyler, Assistant VicePresident & Store Manager, Umpqua Bank Pinckney Center for the Arts, Pence Hall Central Oregon Community College Campus General admission: $35
2:00 – 4:00 P.M. AFTERNOON GUEST AUTHOR WORKSHOPS Kent Haruf – “Lessons from 40 Years of Fiction Writing” Paulann Petersen – “Uncertain Outcomes” Brian Turner – “Exploring the Unsaid” OSU-Cascades Campus, 2600 NW College Way Workshop fee: $45 per workshop Workshop descriptions: www.thenatureofwords. org/Events/Workshop Schedule
5:30 – 6:30 P.M. VIP RECEPTION WITH GUEST AUTHORS For invited sponsors only Umpqua Bank, 828 NW Wall St., Bend
7:00 P.M. GUEST AUTHOR READINGS & BOOK SIGNINGS: Michael Dickman, Barry Lopez, Hillary Jordan, David Whyte. Caldera Special Recognition Award to Barry Lopez, Sponsored by Dan Wieden and Caldera, with the support of The Trust for Public Land EMCEE: Dr. Becky Johnson, Vice-President, OSU-Cascades Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend General admission: $22 Free admission to students - must present a valid student ID at the Tower Theatre box office in advance. First come, first served basis.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2010 9:00 – 10:00 A.M. GUEST AUTHOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION Barry Lopez – “Inner Workings” OSU-Cascades Campus, 2600 NW College Way Fee: $45 Workshop descriptions: www.thenatureofwords. org/Events/Workshop Schedule
9:00 – 11:00 A.M. MORNING GUEST AUTHOR WORKSHOPS Michael Dickman – “Emergency Surgery” Hillary Jordan – “Show Me” OSU-Cascades Campus, 2600 NW College Way Workshop fee: $45 per workshop Workshop descriptions: www.thenatureofwords. org/Events/Workshop Schedule
2:00 – 4:00 P.M. AFTERNOON GUEST AUTHOR WORKSHOPS Michael Dickman – “Harnessing All the Sled Dogs” Gary Fisketjon – “What Does an Editor Do?” Paulann Petersen – “Transformation’s Child” OSU-Cascades Campus, 2600 NW College Way Workshop fee: $45 per workshop Workshop descriptions: www.thenatureofwords. org/Events/Workshop Schedule
5:30 P.M. AUTHOR RECEPTION, DINNER & KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Keynote Speaker: Actor Sam Waterston EMCEE: David Bilyeu, President, Board of Directors, The Nature of Words High Desert Museum, 59800 S. Highway 97, Bend. Author Table Tickets: $100; Friends Table Tickets: $70.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2010 11:00 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. GUEST AUTHOR READING & OPEN MIC Reading by guest author Paulann Petersen. Open mic for workshop participants & community. EMCEE: Todd Dunkelberg, Director, Deschutes Public Library. Bend Public Library, 601 NW Wall St., Bend. Free to the public. Refreshments.